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Not really - it already compiles C#, F# and VB.NET to .NET bytecode, which can be JIT compiled by the runtime to some optimized native code as the program runs. It's just that the native code can now be produced by the .NET SDK during the initial build ("ahead of time").

So can it compile to native machine code as an executable file, link in all the needed libraries and just run as-is now?

Or does it need a huge amount of supporting .NET libraries included also installed on the target?

Check the docs out: https://github.com/dotnet/runtime/blob/main/src/coreclr/nati...

Seems to be the case that you just need to install the Microsoft.DotNet.ILCompiler package, and then `dotnet publish...` with the desired target.

Cough, NGEN, MDIL, .NET Native and Xamarin.

It was always compiled - to MSIL. "AOT" is the more useful term here.

.NET has included compilation to machine code via JIT since the start I think.

Even better, re-introduces AOT, given the history with other attempts.

There has always been compilation to byte code in .NET.

And to native with dynamic linking via NGEN at installation time.